Locally advanced esophageal cancer (LAEC) poses a significant and persistent challenge in terms of effective treatment. Traditionally, the primary strategy for managing LAEC has involved concurrent neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by surgery. However, achieving a pathologic complete response (pCR) has proven to be inconsistent, and despite treatment, roughly half of patients experience locoregional recurrence or metastasis. Consequently, there has been a paradigm shift towards exploring the potential of immunotherapy in reshaping the landscape of LAEC management. Recent research has particularly focused on immune checkpoint inhibitors, investigating their application in both neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings. These inhibitors, designed to block specific proteins in immune cells, are meant to enhance the immune system’s ability to target and combat cancer cells. Emerging evidence from these studies suggests the possibility of a mortality benefit, indicating that immunotherapy may contribute to improved overall survival rates for individuals grappling with esophageal cancer. This manuscript aims to meticulously review the existing literature surrounding neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapy in the context of LAEC management. The intention is to thoroughly examine the methodologies and findings of relevant studies, providing a comprehensive synthesis of the current understanding of the impact of immunotherapy on esophageal cancer.
局部晚期食管癌（LAEC）的有效治疗一直是一项重大且持续的挑战。传统上，治疗LAEC的主要策略是同步新辅助放化疗后行手术治疗。然而，实现病理完全缓解（pCR）的效果并不稳定，且约半数患者在接受治疗后仍出现局部复发或转移。因此，探索免疫疗法在重塑LAEC治疗格局中的潜力已成为一种范式转变。近期研究尤其聚焦于免疫检查点抑制剂，探讨其在新辅助和辅助治疗中的应用。这些抑制剂旨在阻断免疫细胞中的特定蛋白，以增强免疫系统靶向和攻击癌细胞的能力。这些研究的新证据提示其可能带来生存获益，表明免疫疗法或有助于提高食管癌患者的总生存率。本文旨在细致梳理LAEC治疗中新辅助及辅助免疫疗法的现有文献，深入分析相关研究的方法与结果，全面综述当前对免疫疗法影响食管癌的认知。
Advancing Esophageal Cancer Treatment: Immunotherapy in Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Settings
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家